Perth Zoo’s last female elephant makes mammoth journey across state lines

Perth Zoo has bid farewell to its last remaining female elephant, Permai, as she and her carers begin their journey towards her new forever home in South Australia.

Permai was put into her custom-made crate on Monday morning and, after some light sedation and some refreshing watermelon, the 33-year-old elephant was lifted by crane onto the back of a truck. 

The 4-tonne elephant is making the 2,700 kilometre journey inside of the air conditioned crate, which Perth Zoo have spent months training Permai to travel in, and is expected to arrive in Adelaide on Wednesday.

Female elephants in particular rely on companionship from their herd and after the death of Perth Zoo’s matriarch Tricia in 2022 zookeepers decided that both Permai and her male counterpart, Putra Mas, would need to be relocated for their welfare.

Perth Zoo elephant keeper Jody Polson has cared for Permai for 10 years and will be spending 6-12 months in Adelaide helping her to readjust to her new enclosure. 

“It’s safe to say that they are my family,” Polson told ABC News Perth when asked about the elephants. 

The elephant habitat at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia is set on 14 hectares of land and will eventually be home to a herd of five elephants, and will become the largest open-range safari experience outside of Africa stretching out across 1,500 hectares of land.

Permai is an Asian elephant who has called Perth Zoo home since 1992, and will carry out the rest of her days at the safari park.

She is set to be joined by Putra Mas and two other elephants from Sydney’s Taronga Zoo later this year.

Perth Zoo is planning to expand their African Savannah exhibit which includes giraffes, zebras and ostriches.

For more information head to the Perth Zoo website.

Image Credit: Perth Zoo